Where the golden ferns grow
by mickypaw
Summary: (First story! Please read, promise its good!)This takes place some time after the clans were founded but WAY before even Smallear can remeber! - Fernkit lived a normal life. But one adventure out of the nursery shows that she is special. The Dark Forest wanted her sister, but now wants her, because they know she can defeat them...
1. Alleigiances and prologue

**ALLEGIANCES**

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER** GRAYSTAR- **long-haired solid gray tom with wide blue eyes

DEPUTY **SEEDBERRY- **blue-gray tom with blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, REDPAW**

MEDICINE CAT **HOLLYTAIL**- gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

WARRIORS (toms and she-cat without kits)

**CLOUDBERRY- **long furred white tom with green blue eyes

**FIRESTRIPE**- ginger tom with a darker stripe down his back

**ASHCLAW**- dark gray tom with blue eyes

**MISTYFUR**- blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes

**PETALFUR**- pale gray she-cat (with darker flecks) and blue eyes

**NIGHTFERN**- thick-furred black she-cat with and light green eyes

**DOVESONG**- gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**APPRENITCE, LILYPAW**

**OAKSHADE**- dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes

**TANSYHEART**- pale gray she-cat

**ICEFLOWER**- light gray she-cat with wide yellow eyes

APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

**LILYPAW**- slender silver she-cat with white spots and blue eyes

**REDPAW**- small long-furred ginger tom with blue eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**BRAMBLECLOUD**- light brown and golden tabby she-cat with green eyes (mother of Gorsekit, Fernkit, and Frostkit)

**BIRCHHEART- **pure white with green eyes (mother of Amberkit and Silverkit)

**IVYCLOUD**- thick white and silver patched coat with amber eyes

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

**FLAMECLAW**- young black tom with blind amber eyes

**PALEMOON**- pale ginger she-cat with light green eyes

**SKYHEART**- white she-cat with green eyes

**HALFCLAW**- brown tabby tom with missing claws and amber eyes

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER** BRINDLESTAR- **light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

**APPRENTICE, TOADPAW **

DEPUTY **NEWTCLAW- **black tom with one white paw

MEDICINE CAT **ECHOMIST**- silver and white she-cat with blue eyes

WARRIORS (toms and she-cat without kits)

**DEADTAIL- **small ginger tom with a broken tail and blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, PINEPAW**

**BIRDFEATHER**- brown she-cat with bright blue eyes

**MARSHFALL**-dark brown and white tabby she-cat

**SEDGEFUR**- pale gray tom (with darker flecks)

**APPRENTICE, NUTPAW**

**NIGHTPELT**- black tom with dark green eyes

**DARK**- long-furred dark gray she-cat

**LIZARDCLAW**- golden-brown tabby tom

**APPRENITCE, FOXPAW**

**THORNTOOTH**- dark tortishell tom

**ACORNWHISKER**-russet tom with blue eyes

**LOGTAIL**- fluffy brown tom with a distinctive darker tail

APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

**NUTPAW**- dark brown tom

**TOADPAW**- gray she-cat with green eyes

**PINEPAW**- sleek black she-cat

**FOXPAW**- ginger tom with amber eyes

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**MAPLEWHISKER**- ginger tabby with green eyes

**FLOWERBERRY**- beautiful white coat with blue eyes

**TIGERFANG**- russet fur with blue eyes

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

**WHITE-EAR**- white she-cat with blue eyes, virtually deaf

**BROKENFACE**- black tom with severe claw marks on face by dogs

**DUSKHEART**- dark gray tabby tom

RIVERCLAN

LEADER** MOTHSTAR- **golden tabby she-cat

DEPUTY **SPOTTEDCLAW- gray tom with ginger and black spots**

MEDICINE CAT **SWIFTBIRD- white she-cat with amber eyes**

WARRIORS (toms and she-cat without kits)

**WHISPERHEART- silver tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes**

**APPRENTICE, MINNOWPAW**

**BRISTLEPELT**- silver tom with white patches and green eyes

**WILLOWCLOUD- gray and black she-cat**

**HAILSTORM- black tom with white legs, belly, tail, and muzzle**

**MUDFANG**- dark brown-ginger tom

**APPRENTICE, TAWNYPAW **

**STREAMPELT**- blue-gray tabby she-cat

**MOSSFERN**- tortishell she-cat with green eyes

**STONESHADE**- dark gray tom

**APPRENTICE, STORMPAW**

**CLOUDLEG**-fluffy gray she-cat with white legs and underbelly

**REEDBREEZE**- sleek black tom with blue eyes

APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

**STROMPAW- **black tom with amber eyes

**TAWNYPAW- **tortishell she-cat

**MINNOWPAW- **silver tabby she-cat

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**SUNCLOUD- **ginger tabby

**BEETLEWHISKER- **black with gray tabby stripes

**RAINLEAP- **silver tabby

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

**SAGECLAW**- brown tabby she-cat

**SMALLFLOWER-** white she-cat

**LEOPARDSPOTS-** golden dappled she-cat

**LONGCLAW-** pale gray (with darker flecks) tom

WINDCLAN

LEADER** DUSTSTAR- **golden tabby she-cat

DEPUTY **GINGERSCAR- **ginger tom with a long scar down back

MEDICINE CAT **NIGHTBREEZE- **black she-cat

**APPRENTICE, BREEZEPAW**

WARRIORS (toms and she-cat without kits)

**CROWFUR- **gray tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW**

**ADDERLEAP**- ginger tom

**SHREWCLAW- **light brown and white tom

**TALLFOOT- **long-legged white she-cat

**APPRENTICE, SPOTTEDPAW**

**DAWNTAIL**- dark brown and ginger tabby she-cat

**RUNNINGBREEZE**- dark gray tabby tom

**WEEDPOOL**- black and white tom

**ANTFALL**- handsome ginger tom

**SKYCLAW**-sleek black tom with white spots

**GRAYCLOUD**- slim gray she-cat

APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

**WHITEPAW- **white she-cat

**SPOTTEDPAW- **golden dappled she-cat

**BREEZEPAW- **silver she-cat

QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**RABBBITCLAW- **dark brown tabby (mother to Rainkit)

**SWIFTSTEP- **white with green eyes (mother to Smallkit and Birchkit)

**BRACKENFOOT- **brown tabby and white

ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)

**JAYPELT- **gray tabby tom

**ONETOOTH- **old gray she-cat with teeth knocked out in battle

**BADGERSTORM- **black and white tom

**WASPFLIGHT- **ginger tom

**REDWING- **ginger and white she-cat

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

**BLUEPOOL- **blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes loner, formerly Windclan

**MICKY- **golden tabby kittypet

**WETFUR- **silver tom loner, formerly Riverclan

Prologue

Night whispered greetings to the duo of traveling cats. Each blade of grass blew in a different direction, making hiding scents from prey hard. A blue-gray she-cat started to gain on a rabbit, after chasing it with great speed. She hurled herself over rocks and gorse patches scattered on the grass. The few trees whistled in the wind and the open more reminded her of her old home. Giving one last leap she pounced on the rabbit and gave it a swift killing blow to the neck.

A silver tabby padded up to her. "Nice catch." Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes.

She smiled and nodded. "Thanks, do you want to share, or do you still prefer fish?" she meowed.

"Any food is fine for me." He mewed digging in to the fresh kill.

Fresh scents blew to them. "Do you think it'll work?" the growing she-cat mewed, glancing at their rich forest.

"Of course, we will dominate, together." He meowed with confidence. "Be confident, they will obey us, one way or another."

He smiled, love warm in his eyes. "Your kits will be proud, they will rule with us."

She nodded slowly, but not convinced. She looked at the slightly lightening sky. "Let's get some sleep, before morning comes."

He simply nodded and curled up next to her. "Everything will be fine," he reassured quietly and was asleep within moments.

Wrapping her tail over her paws, she drifted into an uncomfortable sleep. Stars came around her, twinkling so brightly.

Wind whistled past her as she found herself in an open meadow. The wind seemed to only circle her. She shook out her blue pelt that was silver in the moon light of Starclan.

"Bluepool," a voice, barely a whisper echoed. "What are you doing?"

Bluepool ducked her head, immediately knowing who it was. It was Heatherflight, her old mentor, and a strict keeper of the warrior code. After Bluepool did not answer, he repeated. "Why, why have you done this?"

"I-I- it was Wetfur," she stammered, hating to have blamed him.

"I'm talking about Wetfur!" he growled. "Running away from your clan, how could you? Leaving everyone behind for that hare-brain?"

Bluepool hung her head, not daring to meet Heatherflight's gaze. "Heatherflight-"she began.

"No, you deserted your clan and family. You left Starclan! You left me!" Heatherflight spat.

"I love him." She blurted, feeling a sudden surge of power and courage.

Heatherflight seemed rather taken aback for a heartbeat; his eyes shown with grief and painful love, but regained his hatred and strength. "Then you were _never_ my apprentice, traitor!" he hissed and stalked into the woods of Starclan.

Bluepool gave out a sigh of discouragement. Glancing up at the stars, she had a prickle of regret and guilt. _What_ am _I doing?_ She thought.

"Bluepool," a deep voice startled her. "You aren't having regrets, are you?"

"No," she answered quickly, turning to see Shadeclaw, her old clan mate. "I haven't, everything will go as planned."

"Good, I had hoped I didn't teach you everything for no reason." He meowed with a tint of snarl.

Bluepool bristled. "You haven't we will carry out the plan as soon as my kits are born!" she snarled.

To her surprise, he smiled truthfully. "I have taught you well, we won't do any training tonight." He turned to leave. "I need to get out of Starclan, we will meet tomorrow night, be ready. I have been watching for a new recruit within one of the clans, she shows promise."

"Which clan?" Bluepool asked.

"Thunderclan."

"However," he continued, his gaze looking dark with worry. "There is another cat, Thunderclan, she has…speed." He murmured.

"She can run?" Bluepool asked. "So what, so can I."

"No, she is different; starclan has been watching her closely, too closely. Though she is young, she will be powerful" He meowed. "She is special, but I don't know exactly how yet."

Bluepool listened intently. _One cat, so what, we can take them! _She thought.

"I will be keeping an eye on her." Shadeclaw growled, his amber eyes glinting. "She may be a minor setback in our plan."

"We can take her," Bluepool meowed with little confidence.

Shadeclaw glared at her with two tiny moons. "You don't know that!" he seemed to brighten, ideas storming through his head. "Unless," he whispered. "We can get her on our side."

"Can we?"

"In a moon she will be old enough to train, we _will_ be ready."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter one

Fernkit woke with a start, a loud yowl interrupting her sunhigh nap. She had jerked her back leg and kicked her brother, Gorsekit, the lump of brown tabby next to her. Frostkit, her sister, rustled beside her. Two deep blue eyes stared into her gaze.

"What's all the noise about?" the grumpy Gorsekit sat up next to his sisters, wiping the sleep out of his eyes with one paw.

Bramblecloud began to lick Frostkit's thick tabby pelt. "I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe just more patrols."

"I want to go on a patrol!" Fernkit announced sheathing and unsheathing her claws.

"Shh!" Birchheart stubbornly quieted the kits, and twined her tail around the young Amberkit and Silverkit sleeping silently at her belly.

Ivycloud purred. "Don't be too rough on them dear, they are barely only four moons old." The plump and growing queen smiled, meeting Fernkit in the eye.

Fernkit ducked her head and lost her gaze. "Almost five," she muttered.

Frostkit was ready to get out of the stuffy nursery. "Mother, can we go outside to the elders den?" she asked as sweetly as she could.

"Yes, but don't bother Flameclaw, you know he's been through a lot." Bramblecloud replied sadly think of her father.

"Yes mama." Gorsekit mewed already making his way out of the bramble den. Frostkit and Fernkit echoed him.

Stepping out of the warm nursery felt like a true breath of fresh air. A cold breeze chilled Fernkit's short golden fur. Fernkit felt her paws on the dew soaked bracken and grass that lined the camp.

The three shades of brown padded forward to the crowds of cats and saw Graystar looking very worried, barking orders.

"Alright, I don't want any apprentices leaving camp without an escort!" he yowled.

"What's going on?" Frostkit whispered to Fernkit.

Fernkit shrugged and leaned forward to listen. "Riverclan has been stealing prey, the weak attack they put forward on Sunning Rocks shows they are half starved and blood thirsty!"

The murmur of agreements died down. "We are still strong and the worst of leaf bare is almost over! At yesterday's battle, Mothstar swore to attack us soon. We will be ready!

"I want every apprentice training with young warriors. Also, in every hunting patrol there must be a senior warrior in charge!" Graystar continued. "Thunderclan is strong; we can take these flea brains!"

Fernkit saw Gorsekit whisper something to Frostkit, they both nodded. _I can't wait until I'm an apprentice, I'll kill any Riverclan cat that hurts Thunderclan! _She thought, and her attention snapped back to Graystar.

Approved yowls echoed in the camp. "Apprentices and mentors, get to the Sandy Hollow!"

"I want to go to the Sandy Hollow too!" Gorsekit whined to the leader as he leaped from High Rock. "One day, Gorsekit, you will serve the clan as a great warrior." He encouraged.

As the meeting came to an end, Fernkit was starting to pad over to the elders den.

"Where are you going?" Gorsekit asked like she was mad.

Fernkit felt confused and didn't get a chance to reply. "Let's go and attack Riverclan ourselves!"

"No way, we could get caught. Or worse, Graystar won't let us become apprentices. Or what if Riverclan takes us captive?" Fernkit argued with a flick of her tail.

"Or even better," Frostkit put in. "if we lay on Sunning Rocks, they'll feel _so_ embarrassed that even a couple of kits could defeat them!"

Fernkit liked Frostkit's idea; she always had wanted to lay on Sunning Rocks. Guilt pricked at her fur. _We shouldn't do this. _She thought. _But, it_ would _be fun…_

"Okay, let's go! We can sneak out through the hole in the barrier behind the nursery!" Fernkit mewed excited but trying to be quiet.

Frostkit took the lead and Gorsekit brought up the rear. Fernkit nervously glanced back and forth, trotting between them.

They squeezed behind the nursery; Frostkit went first because she was the smallest. Fernkit followed her.

"Ow…" Frostkit whined, plucking thorns and brambles from the barrior and nursery out of her fluffy pelt.

Fernkit let out a purr of amusement as Gorsekit slid through behind her. "Nice going, _Thornkit_!"

Gorsekit laughed and Fernkit couldn't help but join. "Would you two be quiet? We'll all get caught!" Frostkit hissed.

Frostkit, like usual, was in charge and led them through the thick woods. "Which way do we go?" she meowed.

"Sunning rocks is right beside the river, so," Gorsekit stopped and listened for the crashing of water.

"The river is that way." Fernkit mewed flicked her tail towards Riverclan territory.

Puzzled expressions lay on her siblings face. "Are you sure?" Frostkit asked.

"Positive, don't you hear the water?" Fernkit meowed dumbfounded.

"No, but, let's just go!" though she was excited, Frostkit took careful steps as she weaved her way around pine cones and sticks that were bigger than all of them. Trees hovered over them, the breeze rocking their leaves back and forth.

The light was fading, creating new shadows and dark patches around Fernkit, eyes glimmered from tree hollows. The wind wailed between distorted trunks, carrying the sickly stink of wood rot. Fernkit moved faster, with Frostkit and Gorsekit at her paws, ignoring the briars that caught at her short pelt, and the damp leaves that grimed her tail.

Fernkit lifted her face, letting the light and shadow dance across her fur. Bees hummed in and out of the pennyroyal. She inhaled its minty smell and continued on, delighting in the sound of her feet sliding through the leaves.

The trees stood utterly still, like the mountains she had heard of from elders' tales, where no leaf dared to fall.

Fernkit was in the lead of the group and scented other cats. "Stop!" she hissed urgently and corralled them into a bush.

Fernkit poked her head out to see a small group of warriors walking near where the three kits were headed. Seedberry was in the lead. Fernkit prayed to Starclan that they wouldn't get caught.

"We'll go to Sunning Rocks then work our way around the border to Four Trees." The blue-gray tom ordered. The patrol set off with great speed.

Once Fernkit knew they were out of earshot, she slithered out of the bush. "What are we going to do now?"

"Mouse-brain, we can follow them straight to the river! How else would we know where to go?" Frostkit mewed harshly.

"No, Fernkit is right. They are long gone by now. How do we catch their scent?" Gorsekit meowed.

Frostkit and Fernkit sniffed the air. Fernkit was about to tell Gorsekit what a mouse-brain he was when Frostkit said she couldn't scent it either. "I smell them." Fernkit mewed though the truth was, she didn't really smell them. She heard them.

"How?" Frostkit asked, looking bewildered.

"They are almost at the river," she walked over to where the patrol was heading. "They went this way." She pointed with her muzzle.

"It doesn't matter how we get there, let's just go and save Thunderclan from Riverclan!" Gorsekit yowled proudly.

"Lead the way." Frostkit mewed.

Fernkit smiled at being recognized by her litter mates and started walk. Frostkit was at her side, constantly asking about how she knew where they were going. The forest shined with a plea sent glow as the little critters began to emerge from their resting spots and went upon their daily business. How it seemed so inviting in the day time. _It almost makes you want to live in that big valley of green. _She thought. The trees danced as the wind shook their magnificent green leafs in an angry rage. The beauty of the forest distracted Fernkit.

Fernkit was caught up in the beautiful silhouette of trees and sky. She heard sounds of critters. Even when she closed her eyes, she could see the forest. _Wait, I _can _seeit!_ She snapped open her eyes. _It's just my imagination._

"What's wrong?" Frostkit asked casually, reading the bewildered look on Fernkit's face.

"I don't know, I just-"Fernkit stopped dead. She had lost the scent trail!

"Just what?" Frostkit meowed stopping beside her.

"I lost them…" she murmured trying hard to catch a scent. She closed her eyes and heard a faint buzz from Frostkit or Gorsekit who was talking to her. She saw the group of cats at Sunning Rocks and her mind flew down the trail, imagining where they went like she could see it. She heard the steps echoing in the bracken and ground. Sounds finally got to her and she _saw_ them. _But I can't_ see _them? But I_ see _them! _She thought. _I can hear them but…_ everything faded and she heard her sister's worried meow.

"Fernkit? Are you okay…?" Frostkit asked, leaning towards her sister.

She snapped into reality, and wondered what just happened. She threw away the thought and knew where to go. "This way!"

She raced down the trail and closed her eyes again. Fernkit tried to open them, but her green gems stayed shut. She felt the presence of trees whizzing by her until she felt the wind stop around her. When Fernkit opened her eyes, it was darkness, with stars all around. _I am dead?_ She thought with worry.

A small pale ginger tom looked her straight in the eye. His gaze was strong and amber like the setting sun. Fernkit blinked hard and found herself running in the woods again. She came to a sudden stop and looked around blindly.

"Fernkit, where are you." The call was no more than a whisper. Fernkit spun around and ran back to her litter mates.

Glancing around, still in shock of what she saw, Fernkit ran head first into a tree. "Fernkit, come back!"

Stumbling up, she took off in a random direction, sprinting, in fear of being lost forever. Every tree looked the same. _Didn't I already go this way?_ She thought.

Before she knew it, Fernkit scented Frostkit and Gorsekit. "Thank Starclan you're okay!" her sister exclaimed. "Where did you go?"

"I-I was just running…" she felt confused. _I wasn't going that fast!_

"What's important is that you're safe now!" Frostkit sounded like their mother. "Let's just get back to camp. They have probably noticed us gone by now."

Fernkit nodded and shook out her fur. The wind brought chills of leaf bare back to her and she shivered.

Fernkit trotted through the undergrowth, sliding under thorn bushes and roots, trying to stay unseen. Frostkit had to stop once to get another thorn out of her pelt. Fernkit's paws ached and she wished they had never left. Dragging her tail, fernkit's small sliver of since left in her went off in alarm. She scented sand and dust; a yowl echoed the forest around them and mentors were giving orders to their apprentices.

"We're at the Sandy Hollow." Fernkit whispered. Dust was kicked from inside and almost choked the young kit.

"Let's go around it." Frostkit said flatly and started to make her way in the opposite direction.

"Wait," Fernkit mewed louder then she should have. "Wait, we need to ask them for help, we are already lost." She whispered.

"No, what if Graystar delays our apprentice ceremonies?" Frostkit was obviously losing her patience, and that argument changed Fernkit in a heartbeat.

"Would he really do that?"

"Do you want to take that chance?" Gorsekit added.

"No way," Fernkit bristled and fluffed her tail twice its normal size.

"Good," Frostkit mewed. "We'll go around the training hollow by going the opposite from the camp, then walk back beside their path so we won't get caught."

Padding around the Training Hollow felt like moons. Fernkit's paw ached and her heart was pounding so loud she thought her clan mates could hear it.

"No, no, no," the deep voice startled the kits. "First you kick up your back leg to throw them off _then_ bite their paw once they're on the ground!"

Three scared kits huddled together, scared that they have been caught. _If we can hear them that well, then they can_ definitely_hear us!_ Fernkit thought.

Fernkit swished her tail and stepped around a crunchy looking leaf. She glanced back at Frostkit and Gorsekit, meeting her brother's gaze. She nodded and they followed her silently, understanding her unspoken message.

As they made their way around the large Sandy Hollow, it felt like they were walking from a hidden enemy lurking, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Fernkit noticed the usual strong leader of the group, flinching at every noise. Fernkit padded next to Frostkit and they leaned on each other in the unusual darkness, though it was sunhigh.

Fernkit looked down at where they were walking; she caught a slight scent of Thunderclan on her own paws, but not her own scent. "Wait," she whispered and raised one slender paw to her nose.

"What are you doing?" Frostkit asked.

Darkness fell over Fernkit's face. "We passed it." She cursed under her breathe. "Mouse dung! We passed it!" she didn't care about how loud her voice was anymore.

"What did we pass?" Gorsekit asked, knowing something was wrong and searched Fernkit's golden expression for clues.

Fernkit took a deep breath. "The path that leads from the Sandy Hollow to the camp, we passed it." She muttered.

Frostkit let out a sigh, Gorsekit hung his head. "Are you sure?" he asked, though there was no point. Fernkit just nodded and sat down, licking one small paw and swiping it over her ear.

Fat clouds floated on the sky. _I wish I was a cloud._ She thought. _Being able to watch all my friends, without having to do anything but float…_

"Let's head this way." Frostkit mewed. "If you could smell the apprentices and mentors paws on the path we crossed on your paws, then can't you smell them on the ground?"

"What?" Fernkit shook her head, confused.

"Can you smell them?" Gorsekit translated calmly.

"Um…" she raised her nose to the sky, standing up. "I smell cats that way," she pointed with her tail back to the Sandy Hollow. "And the Thunderpath that way…"

"That's it! Thunderclan camp is in the direction of the thunderpath, so let's just go that way," Frostkit concluded.

Fernkit was unsure but reluctantly agreed. Fernkit follow her sister while padding alongside Gorsekit. She glanced around nervously and Gorsekit stepped closer to her to comfort her.

The aged trees had creaking branches. The deforming trees are the sleeping souls of the thickets. Scurrying squirrels searched for food under bristlesof wispy moss. Mushrooms grew under the shady roof of the forest. Berries lay ripening under the leafy dome of the forest. Wild garlic dotted the floor under the canopy of the trees. Chickweed flecked the ground under the wreath of leaves above. Plantain sprouted up unannounced under the green garland of leaf and branch above. Drumming woodpeckers attacked the wizened bark of the trees.

Fernkit had to take a deep breath to take in all the sounds and smells of the forest. It was all so forest's beauty was were scattered on the floor of the forest.

The sun was starting to set and slight faded stars hung in the sky's blanket. Fernkit thought they would be lost forever. Trees started to look taller and taller until…

"Holy Starclan…" Fernkit managed to wheeze. A huge tree loomed above them; Fernkit felt the size of an ant compared to this monster. Frostkit stepped back and Gorsekit just starred in complete awe.

Fernkit remembered the times that the elders had told them. "The-the…" she couldn't even speak. They had gone the _wrong_ way again! _We are going to_ die _out here!_ She thought.

"The Great Sycamore," Gorsekit whispered. "Wow…" it was _huge_! With every leaf perfect and green. Wind didn't even begin to rustle its sturdy build. Even the twigs and small branches didn't quiver.

"Wait," Fernkit turned to see a big bush covering a pile of rocks. "If this is the Great Sycamore…"

Oh no. she thought turning to warn her siblings. I high pitched scream came from the light brown she-cat. Frostkit's blue eyes were bigger than the sky, frozen with horror.

Did she dare to turn? Behind Fernkit was a huge snake, baring its sharp fangs and forked tongue. The dark brown stripes and pointed head looked like a nightmare. Fernkit starred with wide eyes. Her paws felt stuck to the ground. Gorsekit started to come to her when the snake snapped at Fernkit. She jumped back just in time.

"RUN!" Frostkit yowled and the tree kits took off. "Stay together," she ordered, "to the training hollow!"

Fernkit ran as fast as she could, dirt and dust clouding her gaze. Slowing to find her littermates, Fernkit panicked, running to find them. I'll go get help, they can hide until then. She thought and took off. Fernkit imagined the way to the training hollow.

Once again, vivid pictures appeared while she felt like she was running on air, clouds blowing past her. _This is the only place we know how to get to. We wouldn't have time to get to camp!_ She thought.

Seeing the path while she ran from a bird's eye view, Fernkit got there in record time. She leaped though the entrance.

"Help," she called blinded by dust into the hollow. "There's a snake!"

_Starclan no,_ she thought. The hollow was empty.


End file.
